Thank you, expert found!
Dear BDH,
I’m looking for an insect expert for some brainstorming regarding research for the book involving imaginary oversized insect monsters. If you are reading this and happen to be an entomologist who doesn’t mind answering a few questions, please email me at ilona@ilona-andrews.com.
Dear BDH, please do not volunteer your friends without asking them first.
love this, im imagining all sorts!
I’m trying NOT to imagine the over-sized bugs themselves.
However, I am having all KINDS of fun imagining where these will appear. Sounds like a good Inheritance fit, but then, I’ll take them wherever they end up. Bugs with Maggie? Sure! Bugs with Hugh? Hugh will destroy them! Bugs with Innkeeper? No match for Dina or Sean or Arland or even Helen. I’m just assuming the bugs will be vanquished. If they aren’t . . . just don’t tell me. Don’t take the vanquishing of bugs away from me.
Also, love how much the fantasy is grounded in fact.
Never thought I’d wish I was a bug expert 😀
+1! I think we’re all waiting with hopeful puppy eyes that someday, IA will need something that WE can provide or be an expert in. 😄
+1
Ditto on that!
Im many kind of biologist, plants, potatoes, cell biologist, cancer, crabs. Sadly not bugs.
Even the Thranx were too large to actually move, due to the weight of their exoskeletons. You’ll need some hefty magic to explain how your large bugs move. But, with magic, all things are possible, right?
It’s how dragons fly, so why not giant insects?
Dang. If only I still had the number for that entomologist I dated in college….
Oooo….. let me see if I can contact an old mentor of mine. He actually wrote a PLAY about giant mosquitos in the 80’s (and I was in the production) where the larvae was supposed to be used to “solve the world hunger crisis” but it went so, so wrong LOL. Last I checked he was building Butterfly Gardens and Habitats as a hobby in his retirement….. and his wife was a college English prof to boot if I recall correctly!
I’ll reach out via email if he’s game.
I love the disclaimer. Because, of course, if we knew one we would volun-tell them in a heartbeat just so we could winkle the details out of them later.
+1
Let me check with the DH first!
He said yes, I’ll email you his address.
Best of luck with finding a bug expert, and I wish I could be a fly on the wall to hear the discussion.
Not an expert, but I do know about the cube/square law. That the weight goes up with the cube of the dimension and the ability of a limb to support it with the square. That is why ants can get away with tiny thin legs and elephants have massive columns for limbs. Of course, low gravity or magic would trump that.
There’s lots of issues. The cube/square law you referenced is potentially one, with lots of permutations involving scaling muscle strength and exoskeleton weight, but also lots of others. Oxygenation is one of the biggest ones, given insects don’t have lungs and their breathing mechanism isn’t terribly efficient. Another one is that a number of common insect processes (such as molting and metamorphosis) would be prohibitively difficult if not impossible at larger scale.
Insects be weird.
Just maybe visit NM. Seems to me we have an awful lot of oversized bugs. Vinegaroons (non poisonous, but smelly and, oh so ugly) centipedes (who needs that many legs anyway) and let’s not forget the very dangerous -looking rhinoceros beetle (which are green here, not gold). Of course the tree roaches in Texas are bigger than any and DEFINITELY gross.
Very best of luck on finding just the right bug!
I still have nightmares about vinegaroons after DH was stationed at Holloman AFB! They scared the crap out of me;
Nothing like seeing one climbing up the wall when you wake up in the morning!!!
New fear unlocked. Thanks for the introduction to a vinegaroons. I thought florida had some creepy insects and now I am relieved to know that you kinda of scary bug is on that side of the country.
Is Arland’s cousin’s wife available? You know, the one from Earth?
This made me laugh out loud at home
Oh, well done.
Well done!!
lmao +100
Good luck with finding an expert. For some reason I thought of Arland’s cousin’s wife who’s the entomologist.
the New Zealand weta. goggle it
OK, that’s a cool bug.
there is a lovely lady who posts under _thesoundoftheforest_ who is super into bugs of all kinds and weird facts and stuffs. perhaps she can help?
I’m limited to plant pests, mostly. I took a lot of entomology, against my will, if that helps.
I messaged my very good friend who is an entomologist and has definitely thought about oversized insect monsters before.
I listen to Wizzie Brown on the radio program called the Texas Standard. She is part of the texas AM agriculture extention.
But you already have Yadviga!
Im not an official entomologist BUT I am autistic and bugs are my hyper focus. I may be able to help. Im like 3 classes away for. general biology bach, human biology bach and have a bach of pharm science. I keep bugs as pets
I briefly studied under a forensic entomologist and did field research on ticks. I don’t have a PhD or anything, but if you don’t get a better specialist, I would be honored to help.
Just read this post before I close my eyes for the night! Oh the nightmares🤣! I can’t even begin to imagine what HA is going to do with the info!
Bed bugs, maggots, bot flies, NYCroaches, those bugs with a zillion legs,🤢 I think I’ll just all nighter it with a book😝
Unfortunately, I don’t seem to have the contact information for Gregor Samsa. Oh, well.
Running to go tell her daughter, the one who at the age of 18 months managed to put the biggest June beetle half in her mouth and has adored bugs ever since. she has a biology degree. which she doesnt use. lol.